|| -------- -- -----  A E R I E   O B L I V I A N A . singular book of text wandertainment by Frank Edward Nora ------------------- ----------- DEER EXPRESS--CUP 18--"I LIKE SNOPPY" <-------  ||  Severe Repair  ||  Deer Express  ||  -------> (Cup SRde018, Created v2 (6/7/99), Copyright 1999) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Yes." Bolt Cutter America said. "He came here with us, but he insisted on exploring. He disappeared, ages ago. But I guess that was the way it had to be. He couldn't wait for Orange Universe to turn." "Turn?" Zoipin asked. "Yes." America said, as Foxxo climbed up her and sat on her shoulder, no sign in sight. "There's a cycle to Orange Universe. May be opportunities to get back to existence later. That was what we were all waiting for. I was..." She looked down. "What is it?" Granticaine said, wanting to put his hand on her shoulder, but not being able to because there was a monkey there. She again locked eyes with Granticaine. "I was just... curious if you might have encountered Snoppy or someone similar out there..." "We encountered no one except our friends here." Granticaine said with a steely expression. "Except at Whissing." Zoipin said. "There appeared to be others there." "I don't know." Lemon chimed in. "Were they people are were they just part of the situation environment?" "It's hard to say." Zoipin said. "Don't bother yourselves over it." America said. "He would have gotten SOMEWHERE with a phone center by now. He must have just gotten lost." "How long ago was this?" Arbhay asked. "Huh? Oh, I don't know. Years. Decades. Months? I have no sense of time here. When I sleep, I never know for how long. I do miss him though. I hope he'll return, but I fear we may have to leave this place before he does, losing him forever." Foxxo whipped up a sign: "I LIKE SNOPPY." America craned her neck to read it, and laughed a little when she did. She appeared close to tears, but she never quite got there. "I feel like I should really want to get out of this place." she said. "And it bothers me that I just don't care." Then they all heard a small voice from a distance. "Maybe we were never meant to be here." the voice said. They all turned and saw a little girl in the distance, dressed all in red and silver. America smiled. "Hi Baroness! Look who finally arrived! The mystery call people!" "I see!" the little girl yelled back, as she began to approach. "That's Baroness of the Stretchy Afternoon. With her, you've met three out of the four of us. Hayfriend is awfully shy--you have to give him time." Baroness walked up to the group and smiled. "Hello all of you." she said in kind of a strange way. The four greeted her. "Shall we have introductions?" Baroness said. "Uh... okay." Granticaine said. "I'm Granticaine Chug Perion. And uh..." He motion to Zoipin. "I'm Zoipin." he said. "Jurple Jupter, too." "I'm Lemon. Pleased to meet you." Lemon then motioned to Arbhay. "Uh... I'm Courier Arbhay, until recently of Deer Express." Baroness smiled. "I am Baroness of the Stretchy Afternoon. Five times honored. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." The others mumbled the likes of "yeah, us too". America clapped her hands. "Shall we head for Gampling Retreat? It contains non-pipe amenities, the only such as I know of. There you can meet Hayfriend also--if he can find the courage to show himself! He's been fretting so since your call. You must be gentle with him--he's petrified of people." "He says Gnoboslast is the perfect place for him." Baroness said with a smile. "No people, except for two very gentle, very familiar ladies." Foxxo screeched excitedly. Baroness laughed. "And ONE onerous monkey who makes the poor bear's life miserable." Foxxo screeched again and held up a sign: "I PREFER 'STIMULATING"" America and Baroness laughed, and the other four did too, a little. "Well, to Gampling." America said with a great deal of enthusiasm--something quite rare in Gnoboslast. They all followed her. -------> ------------------- ----------- -------- -- -----